Opening today, the 2010 OC Fair is guaranteed to satiate everyone’s fun factor until next year!

Among the amusements and festivities are concerts, amusement rides, food, special events, and everything else and more, that one could expect from a County Fair.

This year’s OC Fair’s theme is “The Beat Goes On,” and I’m sure the 1,000,000 plus people who attended last year’s OC Fair will attest to that.

On any given day, you can see Russell Brothers Circus, All Alaskan Racing Pigs, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and who knows what else. It’s a fair, people, so it’s everything and anything.

Just to wet your whistle:

Admission:

General (13-59) $10

Seniors (60+) $7

Children (6-12) $5

Children under 6 Free every day

But the best way to attend this year’s festivities is to get an adult Super Pass for only $30.00, which provides unlimited access for all 23 days of the Fair. Now that’s a bargain and it’s only one of the perks included when you purchase a Super Pass. There’s more.

Included are several special promotion days, including the WE CARE WEDNESDAYS, on July 21^st from 12:00-6:00pm.

Sponsored by 89.3 FM KPCC, if you bring 5 canned food items, you get one free admission and one carnival ride per person.

Featured this year at the OC Fair will be a 4 acre demonstration farm titled Centennial Farm, with the goal to educate the public about agriculture and its importance in our daily lives. Centennial Farm is home to fruit and vegetable gardens, various livestock, and the Millennium Barn. Children and adults can view pigs, chickens, cattle, goats, an organic garden, and a Floral Clock while strolling though its gardens.

For all of you who love to go to the fair to enjoy its food, including you Foodies out there, at the Exhibit Promenade, the OC Fair is hosting The Art of Food & Food as Art attraction.

It will have a delicious and amazing culinary exhibit with an artful flair, and will include competitions, contests & and demonstrations–from ice carving, food sculpting and the crowd pleasing traditional pie eating contests.

If you’re into concerts, there are both paid events and free stage events. It just depends on what you want to do.

How about action sports? The 2010 OC Fair has those, too.

Of course, what county fair would be complete without a carnival?

Here’s the scoop on the 2010 OC Fair Carnival:

Every Wednesday and Thursday, you can purchase $25 Unlimited Ride Wristbands and $1 Games. It’s on sale until 5:00pm and valid until 8:00pm.

Can’t go on Wednesday or Thursday, how about going to the OC Fair on Friday?

$1 Rides Every Friday are valid until 7:00pm, but you must purchase a Fun Pass, which is available in $5, $20, $50 and $100 packages.

Don’t forget, the 2010 OC Fair, located at 88 Fair Dr. in Costa Mesa, is totally family friendly with animals galore, craft exhibits, gardening demonstrations, circus performers, and everything else listed above and more.

Indeed, if you come on different days, you’re sure to see something different every time.

OC Fair, here we come!

OK, I’ll admit, waking up to find it sprinkling in the morning this week was a little surprising, but by the afternoon, the sun was out, and the days were gorgeous!

Let’s face it, us Los Angelenos are totally weather spoiled. With 345 out of our 365 weather days virtually perfect, for all intents and purposes, no wonder people here expect every day to be perfect. Unfortunately, perfection isn’t nor has been the norm in Southern California. Just ask any local.

After growing up in the Midwest and living for 20+ years on the East Coast, I’ll testify–the weather in Los Angeles and Southern California, is pretty close to nirvana!

Here’s today weather in Los Angeles as reported by USAToday:

On the other hand here’s the weather in a few of our “brotherly’ cities across the USA:

After you’ve examined these little snippets, take a close look at the “Heat Index.” According to Wikipedia, the heat index is an “index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature — how hot it feels, termed the felt air temperature.”

Simply put, it’s how your body feels the minute you step outside the door and the humidity hits you smack dab in the face. It’s that feeling that you physically have by the fact you’re starting to sweat 3 minutes after you leave the confines of your air conditioning. It’s a heavy thickness of air that often times feels like you can cut it with a knife. People who’ve lived in Florida or other parts of the nation will tell you their own tales of woe.

If you’ve never experienced this type of high temperature mixed with humidity, you’re in for a real treat—just kidding. You don’t want to ever experience it.

So then fellow Los Angelenos, the next time you complain about June Gloom, especially when it’s happening in July, please think about all of those people who happen to live outside of Southern California who experience “worse weather” than us, and although they may not love it, they rejoice in the summer season before the snows of winter hit.

Full disclosure: a close friend of mine here is a California native who was born and raised in San Diego. He has told me tales when entire summers of June Gloom heavily blanketed the majority of the day with clouds at or near the beach never to lift–to an entire summer where the sun never appeared, not even once. Also, decades when none of it mattered and we had years of picture perfect weather.

June Gloom is a fact of life in Southern California and rather than see it as a minus to our weather, celebrate it as if it were just “part of the Southern California” family of facts that’s part of our common experience of living here in Paradise.

Recreation

Equals

Ecstasy

For this week’s edition of Free Friday, I thought I’d start with a little poem.

I know, I know, you’re not here for the exciting introductory paragraph, you just want to see the various free events in Los Angeles this weekend.

Well, wait no more:

This Saturday and Sunday at Redondo Beach they’re going all out with the Riviera Village Summer Festival. Featuring music, beer gardens, kid’s crafts, carnival rides, and much more, this year’s Riviera Village Summer Festival looks is the place to have a lot of quality fun time. So be sure to head over to the corner of S. Catalina Ave & Avenue I, just one block from Redondo Beach State Park and have party hearty.

If you’re into desert plants, and when I say desert plants I’m talking about hundreds of award-winning plants. In the Friend’s Hall at Huntington Library and Gardens, on both Saturday, June 26^th, and Sunday, June 27^th, the Cactus and Succulent Society of America presents its annual show and sale. It will feature a plethora of rare specimens native to Chile, Argentina, Botswana, Madagascar, and the Middle East. If you’d like get there early, on Friday the hours for viewing are between 12:00 and 4:30pm. Over the weekend, the hours are between 10:30am – 4:00pm.

Due to the recent ongoing devastating gulf oil spill, Hands Across the Sand, is a movement made of people of all walks of life and crosses political affiliations that want to make a difference. It’s not about politics; it’s about protecting our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife, and fishing industries  Its mission is to share our common knowledge, energies and passion for protecting all of the above from the devastating effects of oil drilling. It starts at 11:00am on Saturday, June 26^th, at locations throughout the California coast. Here;s the link to help you find a beach spot near you to make a difference.

Fallen Fruit is playing host EATLACMA, a year-long celebration of food, art, culture and politics. If attending feel free to bring a blanket and a picnic dinner and enjoy the festivities at LACMA on Sunday, June 27th, from 5:00-8:00pm. Fusing the richness of LACMA’s permanent collection with the ephemerality of food and the natural growth cycle, the EATLACMA’s project considers food as the common ground that explores the social role of art and ritual in both our community and human relationships. 

Since summer is officially begun be sure to have a safe and happy weekend full of fun and adventure.

Now that the Lakers have won their 16th Basketball Championship vs. their long-term nemesis, the Boston Celtics, at the Staples Center, in the last game of this pivotal series, history is in the books. Congratulations, LA Lakers!

As proud Los Angeles fans, we’re certainly just as happy, as the Boston Celtic fans must be dismal–and probably miserable for another year–in that in 2010 we tipped the scale with three out of five titles (over the last 26 years) we faced Boston and have beat them.

As we recently featured in our story, Boston Sucks or Beat LA! For the 12th Time in NBA History a Familiar Chant Comes to Town, our world-class team is the 2010 winners. So that’s even more incentive to explore the different activities going on around town this weekend:

The title of this event says it all, “Make Music Pasadena.” If you want to experience 300 bands, take the stages, yes there are six themed stages, plus inside area businesses and cultural institutions at outdoor courtyards, who knows where else you should go? Music, music, and more music on Saturday, on the streets, in the parks, and at various public spaces in Pasadena on June 19^th, and June 20^th, starting at 11:00am and lasting until 10:00pm.

Here’s just a little taste:

Why not head over to over to the beaches on the Westside for International Surfer Day? With various events happening in Huntington Beach, Santa Monica, and Long Beach, you’re sure to have a good time. Activities range the gamut from music, beach clean-ups, prizes, and free food. It doesn’t get any better. The event will take place both Saturday and Sunday at various times and locations, so be sure to click their link to find out more information.

Not often do you get the chance to get on your bike and explore art and culture in Echo Park and historic Filipinotown. Well, tomorrow is your chance at the Folk Art Everywhere Bike Tour. On Saturday, June 19^th, from 11:30am to 2:30pm, the easy 3.4 mile bike ride will include stops at Remy’s, a gallery space focused on Filipino art & culture; Nahuí Ohlín, a retail shop celebrating indigenous literature, history, music and crafts; Tribal Café, serving juices, coffee and other goodies; Edendale Branch Library, a bustling library on iconic Sunset Blvd; and Pilipino Workers Center, providing resources for Filipino workers and their families. Sounds like fun to me.

Do you feel like a having a little dessert? Then the second Eat my Blog is the place to be. On Saturday, June 19^th,, food bloggers from all over the city will get together to share some of their best kept secrets. 70+ bakers will also be there cranking out over 2,000 baked goods, with all the proceeds benefiting the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. To get a taste and some good eats, head over to the Tender Greens, at 8759 Santa Monica Blvd., in West Hollywood on Saturday, June 19^th, from 10:00am-4:00pm.

Every week, Travelin’ Local is proud to bring you the so many free events that are happening in and around Los Angeles. So have fun this weekend and don’t forget the free concerts and movies that are also happening this weekend, listed on the bottom of our homepage.

As soon as I opened my car door, I immediate and suddenly was overcome by the smell of smoke. My first reaction was to think something was wrong with my car, but that wasn’t the case, not the case at all.

After stepping outside, I immediately turned around and found the cause of the burning smell:

A local Palm Tree was on fire! It’s not an everyday event, and I can say from firsthand experience now, it’s a bit strange. Equally bizarre was the fact that the tree was burning from the top down:

From that point, a gentleman who was standing ten feet from me was on his cell phone calling the Santa Monica Fire Department. They assured him they were on their way, and in turn he informed me that help was coming in a matter of minutes.

Within seconds, the Santa Monica Fire Department came around the corner, and started to do what they do best, putting out fires–the burning Palm Tree that’s the topic of this story.

Because the fire started from the top of the tree, the most logical explanation was that someone may have tossed something out of their window in the high rise apartment building next door which, as you can see, was a few feet of the burning Palm Tree.

After a couple of hours, I passed by the spot again, and it looked as if nothing had happened. So again what could have turned into a tragedy, was instead another moment for us to offer appreciation to our protectors and public service employees:

Thank you, Santa Monica Fire Department!

Summer in Southern California is perennial in its joy, atmosphere, weather, and for people to want to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. What better way to enjoy it all–of course, not everything that you’ll want to do this summer will be at no cost, but for the things that are, as they say, get while the gettin’ is good.

First on today’s Free Friday list is the start of Pershing Square’s Friday Night Flicks. The 2010 season of Friday Night Flicks offers a variety of family films including movie classics, musicals, sci-fi and adventure. Each movie is presented on a 40 X 20 foot outdoor screen, complimented with a professional sound system. For a list of what to bring and what not to bring, the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks has set up this website.

If movies aren’t your thing, perhaps dancing is. Over at the Music Center Plaza, located in downtown , at 135 North Grand Avenue, Friday nights have never been better than with the summer Dance Downtown. Over the course of seven weeks, lessons in tango, disco, cha cha, or even the Foxtrot are just a few examples of the dances which can be learned. Don’t worry, dancing isn’t as hard as it looks, and the people at the Active Arts program will make it easy to learn. Partners aren’t necessary and all of the fun starts at 7:30pm.

On Saturday, June 5^th, the 16th Annual Gilmore Heritage Auto Show kicks off at 11am, and the fun doesn’t end until 5:00pm. This year’s event pays tribute to two of America’s favorite muscle cars–the Chevy Corvette and Camaro. Get up-close to nearly 100 other fabulous classics, customs, hot rods, and trucks. Stop by the Market pop-up tent top and pick up a People’s Choice Award ballot and vote for your favorite auto or truck! The event will be held at the Original Farmers Market on 3^rd and Fairfax, for all the fun.

Well, so far, we’ve featured movies, dancing, and autos, so how about a little art. Saturday, June 5^th, is the Fifth annual ARTWALK Culver City, a self-guided tour of thirty seven local art galleries and exhibition spaces in the Culver City area. Also, from 12pm to 8pm, enjoy live art making, music and dance experience. From 3pm-6pm, members of the Los Angeles Jazz Collective will be performing also. So get ready for an afternoon and evening of art in all its forms.

The fifth annual Lummis Day Festival, in its new home in Heritage Square Museum, at 3801 Homer Street, will feature the best of home-grown Northeast LA music including dance, food and community resources in the historic buildings that are preserved at the Heritage Square site. Nearly 100 performers and artists which will include 17 bands and dance troupes will perform, along with dozens of artists, craftspeople, and community groups will be participating. The fun starts at 12pm on Sunday, June 6^th, but if you’d want to start early, part one of this two part event will start at 10:30am, at the Lummis Home, 200 East Avenue 43, with readings from L.A.’s most critically acclaimed poets accompanied by music, art exhibits and refreshments.

If you’re in the Beverly Hills area on Saturday, June 5^th between 12-6pm, consider attending the Public Art Party. It will have special events, food, performances, artist and curator lead tours, along with hands-on activities for both kids and teens. The Public Art Party is both an art lover’s as well as a family fun event. To obtain a map of the different events and areas, along with a schedule of activities check out the this link for the festivities in Beverly Hills, click here.

Our goal is to assist you find the needles in the haystack to find the best weekend free activities in town. Don’t forget to include the Los Angeles 2010 Free Concerts and Movies Calendar on our site for even more free fun in the sun.

We’ve chosen those scribes from from the LA area whose musings, penmanship, and writing caught our attention.

As usual, this week’s list is as unique as it’s interesting:

• We all know, "Blondes have more fun," but do California blondes have more fun? Californiality found the truth behind this long wondered question.
• Do you need a little more noodles? If you’re going downtown, Monkey in LA helps you find some good ones.
• Ellen, over at L.A. is my Beat, shares her food and photo adventures from this month. Be sure to check some of these places out.
• Ed Fuentes over at view from a loft, shares a small moment in his day, but I’m sure the neighborhood enjoyed it. Are you curious?
• Usually, Travelin’ Local likes to take a look at public murals, so when I saw this story at The EastsiderLA, about a mural going into "hibernation," I was a little suspect. But,  if you read the story, you’ll see a happy ending may be possible.
• Have you ever seen a hit and run accident? Bikeside LA did, and he really does he have a story to tell. Plus, a few photos.

Albeit brief, we brought you some intense, and hopefully, satisfying stories for this daily dose of Travelin’ Local’s Sit Back Saturday. Each week as we look for items to feature here, we become much more aware of what’s going on and where’s it gettin’ it on at!

After some internet research, I chose Newport Landing Whale Watching in Newport Beach, to take me on their boat to see the whales. I made reservations over the phone for a Sunday afternoon, and arrived half an hour early to buy my tickets ($30 for adults). The boat left a little late though, and got pretty full. We cruised out through Newport Harbor into the ocean in our stated quest to search for Blue Whales, Humpbacks, Finbacks, and possibly Gray whales.

The boat was large and comfortable, and the weather was nice and sunny. Everyone got a good view of Balboa Island, and the boardwalk, as we were exited as we basked in the sunlight. The open sea was calm, but other than a few dolphins, we didn’t see much else besides a lot of water.

When we returned to the harbor, two and a half hours later, we received a coupon for half off Whale Watching tickets in the future because this time we didn’t see any whales. It didn’t feel like a complete waste of time for me though, because I enjoyed the time spent on the boat.

So being disappointed with the first trip, I ate a Balboa bar to make myself feel better, because after all, I was still on the boardwalk, and a Balboa bar can make anyone happy.  I had my heart set on seeing a whale though (which is something a Balboa Bar can’t fix), so using my discount coupon, I decided to try my luck a second time.

This time, instead of Newport Landing, I chose another whale watching boat service, Davey’s Locker Whale Watching, a sister company to Newport Landing.  They accepted my half off coupons I received from Newport Landing without hesitation.

The weather was not as cooperative on this day—we had gray skies and wind.  It was smooth sailing out of the harbor, but we hit some larger waves once we were out in the ocean.  However, heading out into the ocean, we encountered a huge pod of dolphins. This brought the inescapable screeches of excitement from kids and adults alike.  However, our captain saw something even bigger in the distance, and immediately set off to find….a blue whale, that was surfacing for air.

The whale would come up for air, and then dive for about 8 minutes, before resurfacing again. Our boat hung around for several surfacings, before another boat, "The Western Pride," showed up. Turns out that our boat’s Captain had called them and told them about the whale, and both ships edged up close to the whale for even closer viewing.

We were about to turn around when the whale engaged in an activity that Captain Austin said he hadn’t seen once in the three years he’d been on the boat. The blue whale was lunge feeding by rolling through large concentrations of krill.

As we made our way back to the harbor, I had a few words with our Captain, Austin Bell, who is as young as he looks. He said he’d been driving the boat for 3 years, and it was one of his favorite things. Joe was the deckhand, who also is the ship’s photographer. They seemed to encompass the laid back attitude of Newport Beach, listening to Jack Johnson softly and looking for whales.

If and when you decide to take a whale watching tour, be sure to bring a jacket because it gets breezy, and wear sunscreen because you’re outside in the ocean and sun for about 3 hours. Also, be prepared to be disappointed, because there’s a good chance you might not see any whales at all, but you’ll probably see dolphins, and sea lions, and get to spend the day outside on the ocean, which is pretty cool and fun anyway.

But when you do see a whale, it’s exciting, and a really unique experience to be able to get so close to such a large animal. During this time and afterward, you can’t help smiling and feeling good. If you’re thinking about heading out to sea for some whale watching, now is a good time, when the weather is nice and the days are getting longer.

Some weekends have more offerings and some weekends have less. Perhaps due to the planned big May Day Rally downtown, as well as around the nation, there aren’t as many happenings around town.

But hang tight as we’ll scour and scrounge to find some good events and stuff to do that’s free! So if you’re not attending this weekend’s celebration cum rally cum demonstration, there’s a few things we found that should be of interest that should be high on the list of things to do this weekend.

If you haven’t already seen the billboards around town, Saturday and Sunday are the days devoted for the project “Big Sunday.” Big Sunday is an event where people volunteer to help their local community with neighborhood projects.

Their stated mission is:

To build community through community service. Our volunteers come from all kinds of neighborhoods, and work in all sorts of neighborhoods, too. The idea is that everyone has some way that they can help somebody else.

With events happening all over the city and thousands of people participating, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to share a bit of yourself with your local community.

If you want to get away from all the action downtown on Saturday and explore Griffith Park, Park Ranger Ernie Ybarra will be hosting another 5 mile hike for beginners and intermediate hikers. It begins at 8:000am sharp starting at the Griffith Observatory parking lot.

The long and winding trail first heads to the Charlie Turner Trail and to Dante’s View, where drinking water will be available. It then moves on to Mount Hollywood Summit where a 360 view of all Los Angeles presents itself.

After a short rest, it’s back to the Observatory parking lot. I know because I’ve taken one of Park Ranger Ybarra’s tour before!

Instead of a day hike, what about a night one? Tonight, at 6:30pm, a night hike starting from the Griffith Park Ranger Station to Vista Del Valle View point is happening. Ranger Russell Brown will have a telescope at the View point for all to enjoy the stars.

I might be a bit biased, but since I was witness to this project during its earlier efforts, if you’re anywhere near Venice on Saturday, be sure to stop by the Labyrinth Park Project, at the corner of San Juan and 6^th Avenue in Venice, and view it in its entirety. They’re having live music, dance, food and labyrinth festivities for all so make a day of the beach and some community “good vibes,” and make it on your to-do list, on Saturday, May 1^st, from 10am-5pm.

Although a long standing Pasadena tradition, with a name like the “34th Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade,” who could resist. Its stellar list of 1,200 revelers include participants with names like, “Queen Erica Valentine, the Electric Squirrels, Martinis in the Morning, Howdy Krishna, and Stupidiotic,” this year’s Pasadena Doo Dah will no doubt be a large crowd pleaser and big hit. The Doo Dah Parade starts at 11:00am at the corner of E. Colorado Blvd. and San Gabriel Blvd., in East Pasadena, and heads east from there. Named by Readers Digest as “America’s Best Parade,” the Doo Dah Parade is a must see event for this weekend. Bring lawn chairs for maximum viewing pleasure.

Along with the myriad of your other routines, activities, shows, movies and happenings, we try to bring you a slice of Los Angeles that’s both free and meaningful.

If you have an event you’d like to feature, feel free to use the contact page to let us know what’s on your agenda.

As we head closer and closer to summer, we’re all aware of its feeling in the air. With that in mind grab your cup of coffee or other beverage of choice, turn off the radio or television, and treat yourself to the best stories and articles from the web that Travelin’ Local chose for your reading pleasure.

With that in mind, here’s the current edition of Sit Back Saturday:

• Everyone likes to go on vacation, but when you return, do you have a new found appreciation for being home? Californiality has a similar story to tell, entitled, “Sweet Home California.”

• Daniel Hernandez has a wonderful overview of celebrating Earth Day in San Diego. He’s also celebrating his 40^th birthday on the same day. A great read.

• LA Runner completed the PCTR’s Skyline to the Sea 50K in style, with pictures and a video. Congratulations LA Runner! Check it out…..

• LA Cowboy has a heartwarming story about “The Son I Never Knew I Had.” His narrative and heartwarming tale are impressionable.

• Will takes a unique and humorous look at the proposed Metro fare increase with his story, “I couldn’t resist.”

• Do you have a craving for a great hamburger? After reading this, you just might want to head over to Compton and visit Mom’s Burgers.

• If you’ve ever ridden the Metro train or bus, I’m sure you’ve seen people sleeping. The Bus Bench writes about this with both photos and video.

• A “floralscape” is being created alongside the 110 Freeway north of Sunset Boulevard, and Eastsider LA has the photos documenting the project.

And lastly, let’s give a unanimous, Hip, Hip, Hooray, as the Venice Neighborhood Council Unanimously Approves a Cyclists’ Bill of Rights!

Looks like the word’s spreading—bicyclists and pedestrians have rights more than in law and name only, and they too, want their rights respected, or else others will find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Lastly, Travelin’ Local wishes you all a safe and fun weekend.

We’ll see you tomorrow for another Sunday Afternoon at the Theatre edition.

If you’re new to First Friday, I’d suggest walking the entire street and back again, so you can see if there’s anything you didn’t know about that’s happening, or to see where a lot of people are headed to find out where “the action is.”

While I was last there, the crowd was large, lively, and active.  Our first stop was a shop called Mystic Journey Bookstore, a bookstore filled with books about spiritual exploration in its many forms, and filled with lots of customers, (thus, it piqued our interest).

Finding it too crowded, we skedaddled across the street to Tumbleweed & Dandelion, which sells hand painted custom furnishings:

Tumbleweed & Dandelion’s owner and founder, Lizzie McGraw, was hanging out in her shop drinking wine and talking to customers. Her store was previously a Victorian house, now appropriately filled with handmade custom furniture.  McGraw told me that the home was first built in 1926, and she thinks it adds to the community there, which is really what First Friday is promoting.

McGraw told me that the last eight months have really been booming with people and commerce, which was self-evident. McGraw, who opened Tumbleweed and Dandelion in 1997, sees the increased interest as a good thing.

The next stop on our list was Fiore Designs, a custom floral shop. It’s filled with an amazing swell and smell of the store’s wares. As well as selling custom floral designs, Jennifer Juhos, the owner, told me she travels to England every year for new gifts and jewelry. Therefore, you’ll be able to find a lot of imported cards and chocolate that you won’t find anywhere else here in town. Fiore Designs has recently opened their new location on Abbott Kinney about two months ago.

"Come in and grab a bunch-it’s not so formal", she says.  Diana, waiting in line, agrees. "My last arrangement was stunning," she proclaimed.

After all this shopping and talking, hunger pains hit, so off to the food trucks we went. Talk about food trucks. Here’s just a few of the ones I saw:

1. Barbie’s Q
2. Kogi
3. Dogtown Dogs
4. Nom Nom
5. Willoughby Road
6. Calbi
7. Border Grill
8. Fishlips Sushi
9. World Fare
10. Fire Hook
11. CoolHaus Ice Cream Truck
12. The Grilled Cheese Truck
13. Dim Sum Truck
14. Frysmith

See something you wouldn’t mind trying? Our problem was we saw too much worth trying, finally settling on Kogi burritos, which are fast and delicious.

My night was winding down, but the other revelers were obviously far from done, even with the 10pm official ending time.  The late night shopping seems to spark the desire to celebrate, and the bars reflected that with their long lines.

First Friday is obviously drawing much larger crowds than just Venice locals, but this is nothing new for Venice:

The rich cultural history on this street, mixed with its exciting transformation of many things hip and new—is a reminder that this isn’t the Venice of yesteryear or last decade.

Venice’s gentrification, transformation, and redevelopment are nothing short of amazing—and expensive!

If you’re heading to First Friday, check online first to see what’s special that night, and be open to checking out things you wouldn’t necessarily notice. Be prepared to enjoy the uniqueness that’s Venice.

Of course, when Travelin’ Local, it’s always cool to know what’s cool.

Slider photo courtesy of LAaLALand Alert

You already know the routine, so I hope you have your coffee already ready, tuned out the noise and rat race of the outside world, to prepare yourself for this week’s Travelin’ Local picks for your consideration.

Here’s this week’s edition of Sit Back Saturday:

• Take a blast from the past and revisit a time in California history, when we were “innocent, classy, and extremely polite.” Well, personally, I still think we’re classy. And I wholeheartedly know that “California is still Paradise.”
• Share a few moments at Gladys Park on Easter Sunday. From the wonderful pictures here, it looks like everyone had a great time.
• Discover a different side of Los Angeles via Daily Photo LA’s quick look at Industry. Just beautiful!
• Although I’m never been a fan of either oysters or clams, combining them with a trip to Hermosa Beach might, just might make them taste better.
• Two events I missed in yesterday’s Free Friday are both featured over at Yo! Venice!; The 11^th Annual Topanga Earth Day and Seed Kitchen Venice Beach Earth Day Community Clean Up.
• At a tree planting over on East 3^rd in the Arts District, the volunteers discovered just how “easy” planting trees can be.
• Eastsider LA takes us on a tour of the Evolution of Banking in Echo Park. Talk about major changes in both banking and lifestyle, this is an eye-opener.
• Militant Angeleno reminds us that “It’s Time For Dodger Baseball Again! And as public transit is back at Dodger Stadium, it’s use is appreciated by many a Dodger fan when heading to the ballgame.

As always, Travelin’ Local wishes you all a wonderful weekend full of fun, sun, and a few quiet moments.

All of the events below are free:

In case you didn’t know, Earth Day is on Thursday, April 22^nd. Many locations in Los Angeles–and throughout the Southland–are celebrating it early—indeed, everyday should be Earth Day.

So put on a smile, get your groove on, and let’s get this party started. There’s many things to do, and quite a few of them are not only cool, they’re also good for Mother Earth. So get your Mojo working, and let’s have some fun “green” activities this weekend.

• Earth Day on the Promenade: That’s the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica to be exact, where they’ll be celebrating 40 years of Earth Day. They’ll be featuring live music, exhibits, a petting llama, seed giveaways, and more. Earth Day on the Promenade is this upcoming Saturday, April 17,^th from 10am to 7pm. If you bring a reusable water bottle you can get it filled all day long with filtered water for free.
• 2010 Ring Festival LA: “Celebrating the Arts, LA Style,” from Friday, April 15^th – June 30^th, at the 2010 Ring Festival LA. It showcases a wide variety of exhibitions, symposia, museum shows, conferences, and special events. All of these will be thematically related to the first-ever presentation in Los Angeles of the four-opera drama of “The Ring of the Nibelung.” For a full schedule of events and locations, the Ring Festival’s website is the best place to look.
• LA Eco Arts Tour : What is the LA Eco Arts Tour? It’s a “Four-venue City-Wide neighborhood tour of Theater, Arts and Cultural facilities, featuring noted and local artists, City departments and private vendors providing education and publications on energy conservation, efficiency, and savings designed to promote public awareness to empower the public and local business.” It’s happening this Saturday, April 17th,^th, from 12:00 to 6pm, at Barnsdall Art Park, 4814 Hollywood Blvd.
• Record Store Day : To celebrate one of the largest Independent retail and specialty retail music stores locally and in the world. Amoeba music is celebrating Record Store Day. Amoeba Music, located at 6400 Sunset Blvd., is hosting and providing a day of music celebration for everybody. They’ll have live guest DJ’s, giveaways, T-shirt silk-screening for charity, and loads of limited-edition music releases (one per customer!) this Saturday, from 10:30am until everything is gone or the close of business, whichever comes first.

Here’s a small preview:

• Glendora Earth Day Festival: Includes bike rides, tree planting, magic shows, and several workshops at the Glendora City Hall, Public Library, and the Plaza. It’s the place to be this Saturday, April 17th,^th, from 9am to 3pm. From 10am to 2pm, there will be free shuttle service running from the City Hall to the Native Plant Garden & Nature Center, from where you can take the walking tour.
• Water: Our Thirsty World: At the Annenberg Space for Photography, in Century City, this exhibit features the work of National Geographic’s award-winning photographers. The exhibit’s curators compiled photographs and pictures of this most precious resource—considering its environmental, social, political and cultural perspectives. If you can’t make this event on Saturday, don’t fret– it will be on exhibition on every Wednesday – Sunday from 11am – 6pm, until June 13^th, 2010.
• Earth Day South LA: For a wonderful day full of earth friendly community building through music, cultural performances, art, food, culture, and fun, head over to the Normandie Avenue Elementary School, at 4505 S. Raymond Ave., this Saturday, from 11am to 6pm. They’ll be featuring events including learning how to write poetry, making compost, or to create recycled art. They’re also planning to paint a community mural. This event is free, but a suggested donation of $5.00 is requested.

Common Rotation, composed of Adam Busch, Eric Kufs, and Jordan Katz, grew up in New York and have been playing music together since the 9th grade.  Their music is folksy and their shows consist of a game of musical chairs with instruments.

During the show they played acoustic guitar, trumpet, and the banjo, and they’re recognized for acknowledging that a song doesn’t need lyrics–but can be sung only using off-the-cuff words.

The band wears three piece suits when they play, and as Marc Evan Jackson put it, "all of them are supposed to be the quiet one". 

The Little Room is a great venue to see a folk band.  It’s softly lighted by candles in jam jars on small tables.  You can hear everyone in the room; but instead of distracting, its an added bonus because this is the after party for the Thrilling Adventure Hour, where the Work Juice players were in the audience occasionally peppering the room with their wisecracks. 

The show was very folksy, had  a lot of audience interaction through clapping, and occasional theatrics from the peanut gallery.  I met some friendly folks who drove all the way from Thousand Oaks to see the show, (one lady even produced a ticket stub from her purse dated 2005 from when Common Rotation opened for the band, They Might Be Giants).

Marc Evan Jackson was the emcee, and constant heckler. Along with introducing the band, he keeps the audience amused with his swearing and playing an original composition entitled "David Alan Greer," (the lyrics can be difficult: what rhymes with Greer? Duh, Zaire. Thanks Marc).

James Urbaniak  (who’s voice makes me think of the balding and sleazy Dr. Venture, but who’s demeanor is the opposite) sang "Mr. Glitterpants", an original song that was funny and reminded me of Mr. Cellophane, from the musical Chicago.

Common Rotation is soon leaving to go on a short tour up and down the west coast– hitting venues in California, Oregon, and British Columbia, Canada (check their tour dates on their website); but they are no stranger to touring.

They were in a documentary called "How To Lose," that followed their Living Room Tour, which took them from Europe to the Russian fishing villages of Alaska. Interestingly, they played in the living rooms of volunteers, cutting out venue costs and playing for donations.

Check out their trailer here:

On the tour, Common Rotation will be opening for Dan Bern, who collaborated on some of the songs they performed Saturday Night.  Dan Bern not only looks like he should be in the band, but has a beautiful voice that is soulful and genuine, reminding me of a young Bob Dylan, and who’s lyrics are funny, insightful, and political.

They closed Saturday’s show with an encore performance of their rendition of MIA’s Paper Planes, with John DiMaggio (or, the voice of Bender), beat boxing, and singing the "cha-chings."

The show is at the Little Room every month after the Thrilling Adventure Hour, at Largo at the Coronet (on La Cienega), starting at around 10pm (the next show is May 1st). Tickets are $15 if you plan on just attending the show, which includes two drink tickets. If you choose to go to both the Thrilling Adventure Hour and the Common Rotation show and after party, the Common Rotation ticket costs an additional $8, which includes a one drink ticket.

As rainbows are well known for their brevity, this one disappeared not long after it formed. Nonetheless, while it was visible, seeing nature’s wonders never cease to amaze.

Viewing a rainbow is quite a subjective thing, and typically no two people see rainbows the same way, so my camera also had an “eye” of its own.

Looking at the photo above, we see a “shooting’ rainbow like a rocket fired from the ground, which is also reminiscent of the lights from a movie’s grand opening; and the multi-tinted colors of the rainbow united with the sun, created images of golden and magical Palm Trees seemingly arching and reaching for the top of the world.

The foreground and horizon remind us of the ocean, while the plant life in the foreground merge for a moment in time that’s ephemeral, but real.

Travelin’ Local is about appreciating the beauty all around us, even for a shorter time than we may wish for–but wish we will.

Because as short as it was gorgeous, yesterday’s there was a “Pot of Gold” in Santa Monica.

My whole life I’ve wanted a sports car. ‘Porsche’ was one of the first words I learned how to spell (I later learned that ‘Ferrari’ is easier to spell and there’s no discrepancy about the number of syllables). But getting laid off isn’t exactly in line with my goal for saving up and buying a fast red convertible, and the last time I got a haircut, there was an alarming amount of salt in my pepper. So I’m not waiting any longer!

But since I can’t afford a sports car right now, I opted for the next best thing: a new fast and sleek motorcycle.

After a month of ownership, I’m here to convert the rest of you.

Because while you sorry saps have been forfeiting your hard-earned money to facilitate the enlargement of the government teat from which I’ve been suckling, I’ve been racking up the two-wheeled miles as I rid myself of the nine-to-five blues.

So let’s look at the pros and cons of riding a motorcycle in Los Angeles.

The first one is a no-brainer: traffic. California is one of the few states in which it’s perfectly legal to ride a motorcycle in between lanes. So when you’re sitting in traffic, and some guy on a motorcycle splits the lane and rides right past you and the guy next to you, don’t get mad or think he’s cheating – he’s well within the letter of the law. Odds are, even if he takes the scenic route the rest of the way, he’ll get home way before you.

If you’re easily swayed by the ‘look at me’ factor, then driving a fancy sports car – even in L.A. traffic – is very appealing. Driving a Ferrari or Lamborghini in traffic is like priapism; even after an hour, you can still amuse yourself with all of the "Hey! Look at me!" attention. But after a few hours, it’s just painful. But with a motorcycle, traffic just doesn’t exist.

The downside to riding a motorcycle when there are other cars and trucks on the road is that you’re lacking a few of the safety features seen on most cars and trucks. Like doors, bumpers, air bags, things like that.

On a motorcycle, you become the protective features. Your legs are the fenders, and your helmet is the air bag and the dashboard and everything else. But if you have the stones to hang around here after the 7.2 that just hit Mexicali, then you can muster up the chutzpa required to straddle a motorcycle and throttle through the city.

Next, is the fuel consumption and expense savings.

Last year, on a trip up to northern California, I got 500 miles out of a single tank of gas in my Suburban.

Of course, that single tank of 87 octane cost me $100. Now, with my bike, I’m splurging on the good stuff – nothing but high octane for my baby – and I’ve never spent more than $11 to fill the tank. I can get 100-150 miles out of a single tank of gas. You do the math.

So maybe I can’t get as far on a single tank of gas on my motorcycle as I could in my gas-guzzling Chevy.

But the freedom that I have in between gas stops is liberating. Riding a motorcycle gives you an all-access pass to the HOV lane. But when you’re on a bike, you don’t have to wait for that stupid dotted line before you can jump into the diamond lane – you can cross over however many double yellows they decide to paint, and it’s perfectly legal. How cool is that? After a week of motorcycle ownership, your daily commute will be your favorite part of the day.

Another advantage of owning a motorcycle is that it weighs roughly 1/10th of the average SUV that’s barreling down the freeway.

To be sure every econobox available today has more horsepower than a motorcycle, but nothing on four wheels this side of half a million dollars can go from 0-60 in three seconds. Opening the throttle has never been so joyous! Got a tailgater on your ass? Just open the throttle! Stoplight just turned yellow? Open the throttle! Red and blue lights in your rear view? Just open the throttle! Okay, I was just kidding about the last part. You should always stop for the police (they might be willing to share their donuts!).

One thing I do miss is music. I can no longer blare Maroon 5 lyrics from the safety of my Bose-endowed SUV, singing out of tune ’til my heart’s content. But the carbureted rumble, interpreted through the Micron exhaust note, will suffice until I get headphones in my helmet. But what I’m lacking in air conditioned karaoke, I’m more than making up for in weight loss. That’s right, weight loss. I’ve dropped 10 pounds since I bought my bike. Just the fact that I can no longer drown my metabolism in Dr Pepper has loosened my jeans. But the sheer terror of being broadsided by some inattentive texting soccer mom has kept my heart rate at a constant 150 bpm.

Sure my motorcycle doesn’t say ‘Ferrari’ on the back. But it accelerates like one, and I can blast through turns as quickly as I want by leaning the bike over as far as my sphincter will allow. And it’s loud! It doesn’t sound like a rumbling V12, but it’s loud enough to irritate my neighbors, which is exactly the kind of attention-getting message I need to send during my mid-life crisis.

Lastly – and this is the most important part – chicks dig motorcycles. You don’t even have to ride one to turn the heads of the fairer sex. Just holding my helmet in a coffee shop has turned me from fat and ugly to rugged and manly.

Sure I whisper now, when I order my double mocha non-fat no-whip frappacino latte so that I can preserve my testosterone-laden air of mystery. But the inherent and inexplicable mixture of danger and fun that goes with a motorcycle is a bona fide aphrodisiac. I don’t even comb my hair anymore! The asymmetrical mess that stands on my head is totally excusable when my helmet is in view. My unshaven face just adds to the look! I used to be invisible to women, and now I’m a sexy amalgamation of blue jeans, messy salt and pepper, and life on the edge.

So there you have it! Owning a motorcycle in L.A. is the way to go. The pros clearly outweigh the cons. But whatever you do, don’t quit your job. I have a lot of dates this month, so I’m trying to get more money out of unemployment – and I can’t do that without your tax dollars. (Just joking, don’t rail in the comment section below except to shout out your love of speed!)

I like all things fast—fast cars, fast motorcycles, and of course, fast women.

Currently, Carbon authors The Berlinetta Letter, a monthly online Ferrari newsletter for BerlinettaMotorcars.com.

What can I say, I love living in and enjoying all the great things to do in LA. So grab your coffee, recline in your favorite chair (or if you’ve got your laptop, relax in bed), and sit back and enjoy these stories, if but for a few moments:

• Making way for the new Expo Line II rail station, the Sears at 4^th and Broadway in Santa Monica, is going to face the wrecking ball. Curbed LA has the whole story.
• Remember the LA Marathon? LA Runner was just that, a runner in the LA Marathon. He captured it both in pictures and video from start to finish.
• History, Los Angeles County gives us insight into the mosaics at the downtown Federal Building on Los Angeles Street. As noted by Kim of Esotouric Tours, you’ll discover that this mosaic was also the scene of a fatal anti-Vietnam war protest.
• Are you into knitting? Well, so is Ellen over at L.A. is my Beat. A few days ago, she featured a story and pictures of her latest project, a “mini-me,” which includes a cool headband.
• We know Santa Monica has some great sunsets, but what about Manhattan Beach? L.A. Kompany can show you.
• If you’ve already completed the Census, your individual thoughts about it may vary. On the other hand, thinking about its magnitude for the entirety of the state is another. Californiality takes an interesting look at CA’s ethnicities.

Travelin’ Local’s wishes everyone a great weekend and if you haven’t had a chance check out the events we listed in yesterday’s Los Angeles Free Friday, check it out.

This week’s edition includes events throughout the entire city–from UCLA, Santa Monica, and even Homer Street.

If you do or don’t have plans for this weekend, we’ve listed some events that might be of interest to you for this edition of Travelin’ Local’s Los Angeles Free Friday:

• Santa Monica’s Montana Branch’s Public Library, is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary. If you’re interested in magic, music, food, and games, head over to 1704 Montana Ave, on Saturday between 1-4pm.
• Have you ever thought about playing the tabla? The Hammer Museum is hosting Tablacentric, a special workshop from 1-2:30pm. Following the workshop, there will be guest performances by Sheela Bringi, Clinton Patterson, and Debashish Chaudhuri until 4:00pm. Here’s a sample of what you’ll likely hear:

• If you’re inclined to bring your four-legged household member along for the weekend, head to any PETCO store for their PETCO Natural Neighborhood Festival. The Festival’s agenda includes free natural and organic nutrition, and grooming tips. But if you’re in Santa Monica, head for the beach because PETCO is sponsoring a “Downward Dog Yoga Class” among other festivities. So on Saturday from 10-4, head to 2030 Ocean Ave. at Pacific. If you’re going to any of the PETCO stores instead of the beach, you’ll need to be there between 11am to 2pm.
• The exhibition Art, Activism, Access: 40 Years of Ethnic Studies at UCLA, at the Fowler, showcases the efforts and archives of UCLA’s Ethnic Studies on campus. Featuring murals, graphic art, films, ephemera, and photographs it captures the key moments in its remarkable history. This free exhibit at the Fowler offers a compelling review of the first forty years of ethnic studies at UCLA. It’s on display until June 13^th, so you have plenty of time to see the exhibition, but don’t wait too long. The Fowler‘s open from Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5pm, and Thursday until 8pm.

• How about the combo of Pink’s hot dogs, entertainment, and history? If that sounds cool, then head to the Heritage Square Museum, at 3800 Homer St., on Sunday, April 11^th, from 11am to 4pm, for LA Heritage Day.
  

  In an area sometimes perceived as having no ‘real’ history, L.A. Heritage Day is an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about and enjoy the fascinating people, places and events that have shaped Southern California,” said Cindy Olnick, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Conservancy. “It is also a chance to learn about the incredible variety of local preservation groups, museums, libraries and historical societies serving today throughout Los Angeles County.



• Last but not least, you can head to Little Tokyo for the 2010 Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s a two day event, April 10^th, and 11^th, full of music, entertainment, kid’s activities, and even a few martial arts demonstrations. To even make it easier, here’s a map. Also, since the Festival takes place in Little Tokyo, don’t forget to bring your appetite.

So the next time your significant other, friend, or acquaintance tells you that there’s “nothing to do in LA this weekend,” then just laugh and pull up your link to Travelin’ Local’s Free Friday.

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]]> http://www.travelinlocal.com/los-angeles-free-friday-3/feed/ 0 http://www.travelinlocal.com/the-naughty-nurse-nightclub/ http://www.travelinlocal.com/the-naughty-nurse-nightclub/#comments Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:33:14 +0000 Lindsay Pullin http://www.travelinlocal.com/?p=11988 If you have a fetish for naughty nurses, need a strong drink, want to hear good live music, and want an evening of fun, you’ll find that all at Club Good Hurt.

Good Hurt Nightclub is no newcomer to LA’s nightlife. It opened in September, 2002, as the brainchild of its owner Corey Trevor. Trevor came up with the idea for his themed nightclub while falling asleep one night, and he’s been running with it ever since.  (We have to wonder more about what’s in his dreams!)

The premise of the Naughty Nurse is of course a medical theme. The bartenders wear low-cut black dresses, and old time nurse hats.  You’ll find them at the bar underneath the red neon light proclaiming "prescriptions," and they’ll “treat” your condition with specialty drinks, such as a "Transfusion", a "Black and Blue", or a "Takillya" (say it slowly).



Yes, one could make the analogy of having a French Maid theme also, but I digress.

The club is known mostly by word of mouth, which has worked fine. It’s a place where the locals hang out for the music and the drinks. Interestingly, although it’s located on Venice Blvd., most ever recognize it as a nightclub, due to its lack of proximity to other businesses.

But once you’ve been there, customers are drawn into the entire concept and theme of both the "Naughty Nurse and Prescription Cocktails" theme.  Corey’s even mentioned opening up a Club Good Hurt in Hollywood, and maybe even expanding internationally.



"We love that we’re in the service industry," Corey told me, and indeed you’ll find the owner there most nights, checking out the crowd and listening to the music.

In true Club Good Hurt fashion, I heard of it through a friend, who lives down the street from the club, and has been there quite a few times. It took us awhile to get there, but I was pretty excited. I parked on the street (I hear sometimes this can be an issue, but it wasn’t for me), and walked in to see people crowded around the bar, waiting for their drinks and listening to the music.  I ordered a Transfusion, which was approximately $8. It contains vodka, grenadine and sprite, and although it tastes very sweet, it packs a wallop, and the nurse who took my order provided quick service.



The place is divided into two sides, the bar, and the stage–which is separated by a glass partition, keeping the music from dominating the conversations at the bar. I thought it was dark, and it definitely felt more dive-y than–like being in an actual hospital, but then again, night clubs aren’t meant to be brightly lit.

Monday nights have a pole dancing show, which is gaining popularity, but I can’t speak from experience, as the pole was not being used when I was there.

I was at the club on a Saturday night, when the headliner that evening was Frank Stallone, who is Sylvester Stallone’s brother; but there were many other bands playing that evening as well.

To find out which type of live music is playing during any particular five nights of the week, you can check their site, Club Good Hurt, for their schedule of events and live music. There are booths to chill in, small tables, bar stools, and also a small dance floor/viewing platform for the bands on the stage.  There are also two pool tables, but I didn’t see them getting any action when I was there. 

They play lots of rock music, but also host blues, jazz, funk, and soul.  You’ll also catch their DJ’s playing dubstep and electronica.  I recommend coming early, so you’ll be able to hear as many as five bands in one night.

Because Trevor likes to keep the music themed for each individual night, choose your vibe wisely—as it will be repeated throughout the evening.

Club Good Hurt is located at 12249 Venice Blvd. Its sign is a symbol of a giant Swiss flag (red, with a white medical cross in the middle), with the words, "Good Hurt" in the center, with a flashing red "Good Hurt" and a neon line measuring the spiky heart rate of the joint.

Come check out some live music, and let a naughty nurse serve your prescription for a Good Hurt. 

After all, whether you’ve been naughty or nice, having fun is always best served with a touch of fantasy.

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It’s that time again for another Travelin’ Local edition of Sit Back Saturday. We enjoy doing the heavy lifting to provide our readers some of the previous week’s unique stories from the web, delivered to you straight-up, (Not shaken or stirred.) so you can leisurely read and enjoy them:

• 383 days of agony: And it’s finally over. If you’re one of the many unemployed people out there, this is a story of hope. If you’re not one of those people, be grateful, and keep working hard, as GT, the author of this story, will attest to.

• Why StreetSummit was just the 2nd most inspiring thing I saw this weekend: Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this year’s LA StreetSummit, but bikinginla, has a great recap along with some thoughts about Sunday’s LA Marathon–kudos, for the wonderful pictures.

• Wildflower Hotline: You still have plenty of time to see the local wildflowers in all of their colorful glory. Updated weekly, the Wildflower Hotline lets you know what’s blooming and what’s not.

• The Story of Bottled Water: I found this link via LA Creek Freak, which is a great environmental site. If you’d like to know more about the bottled water conundrum and story, take a few minutes and watch this video.

• Conquered the trails at the Devil’s Punchbowl: If you’re planning a hike this weekend, the Devil’s Punchbowl , in Pear Blossom, is a great place. Ebie hiked it a few weeks ago and snapped some breathlessly beautiful photos to accompany her jaunt.

• The LA Marathon in 1 minute: An online friend of mine, Will Campbell, who blogs over at [sic], captured and created a fantastic time lapse video of the LA Marathon, from atop his Silverlake home:

We’re not sure what story, or where it may take place on any given weekend; but you can be sure–and take it to the bank–that the entire staff here at Travelin’ Local will continue to cover and diligently bring you the best content and news, that our inimitable Southland has to offer.

Over the next couple months, Travelin’ Local’s got a lot of “rabbits in the hat” we’re going to pull out; as we’re going through our much anticipated and exciting growing pains.

So sit back, tune in, and to coin the well known corporate phrase, (by the now unnamed company)—Just Do It!

Till next week!

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